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Post by Deleted on Dec 29, 2012 15:27:33 GMT -6
From the darkness he had found himself in, Norway woke to more. The last thing he recalled, if it hadn’t been a dream, was walking down one of the many halls of the Manor, hearing footsteps, and then a sudden pain in the back of his head before everything went black. Then… nothing. Lukas knew now that he was back into consciousness because of the pain of his head for as they say, pain means you’re still alive. Groaning into the cold abyss, Lukas rolled over from the awkward position on his stomach onto his back, but quickly flinched in pain and regretted the action. He had rolled onto something hard and was now digging into his back. Gritting his teeth and biting back an annoyed curse, he reached down to retrieve…. Ah, his sword. Grasping the familiar sheath and clutching it to his chest as he waited for a wave of pain to settle from his aching head and laid there motionless, listening to the silence and trying to discern what the faen was going on.
Creak…
The Norwegian’s eyes snapped open and he held his breath. There, he had heard it…. The faintest of sounds but it had the distinctive sound of a footfall, and it hadn’t been too far off either. Norway knew that he wasn’t alone but he could not see anything! It was pitch black wherever he was and the ground beneath him, was gritty and cold, like stone, and was somewhat damp. Taking in a deep breath, Norway almost choked when he realized how cold and musty the air was. Smothering a cough, Lukas hoped he hadn’t given out his position to whomever or whatever was lurking around in the darkness around him, but it had been quite a shock to realize the condition of the air. It tasted old, stagnant, and stale. His eyes widened and frantically looked around. It was becoming clearer as to where he might be for it was obvious that he was… underground.
Narrowing his eyes as adrenaline began to pump through his veins, Lukas took his movements with caution, inch by inch, until he was in a sitting position, his hands upon his sword and tense, ready to draw his blade. He didn’t know what was out there, and that even made his situation even more dangerous. His mouth was dry but he dared not even wet his lips in fear that he may be heard. His predicament would be incredibly easier to deal with if he could only see anything but even with his exposure to the darkness, his eyes had yet to adjust to the darkness imply because there wasn’t any light. The sound he had heard earlier had yet to repeat itself and its absence was causing Lukas to believe that perhaps he had just been hearing things due from the blow to his head.
Speaking of which, he reached up with a hand to feel the back of his head and winced when he felt a good-sized bump. Rolling his eyes and cursing the name of whatever had hit him, Norway was caught off guard when a sudden green light struck his eyes, causing him to jump back and half draw his sword when he realized that… “Oh Alv… Det er bare deg,” he whispered, actually smiling and physically relieved the see the huge forest troll, whose natural green glow illuminated their surroundings for only their eyes, the eyes who had the Sight, to see the paranormal and fantastical. As glad as he was to see the creature, Lukas knew that it hadn’t been the huge troll who had made that sound earlier…. Alv was silent, he floated, and he only touched things if he wanted to.
Standing slowly, his back to the troll and eyes shifting about, he spoke in a low tone, “Vi er ikke alene, min venn…”
~~ Translation: It's just you, We are not alone, my friend ....
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Vasile Ionescu
Survivor
Played by Roma.
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"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players"
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Post by Romania on Feb 2, 2013 17:07:47 GMT -6
Usually, on the rare occasions when Vasile actually managed to catch a glimpse of one his fellow nations within the manor, they were either busy moving from one place to another in order to not get cornered or running away from whatever might’ve chased them. Every now and again, when he was in luck, the Romanian happened to find another nation alone and close enough for him to start socializing – or, when he felt like it, playing a little prank on them. Sometimes he even met with a group of people to join in on and plan escape together, only for the group to dismantle within hours anyway, because the manor seemed to have taken the “divide and conquer” tactic to heart. He had seen monsters and he had seen nations, and he had seen groups with combinations of the two in various scenarios.
But what Vasile had seen that particular morning as he had set foot into the second floor of the manor was a scene unlike he had ever seen before. There, being hoisted over the shoulder of a bipedal abomination of some sort had been one of his fellow nations, unconscious and unmoving. The Romanian hadn’t recognized the man from distance – the angle in which he had caught sight of the other, as well as the costume he had worn had been effective in throwing the Romanian off – but even so, he had been pretty sure the man had been another country; as far as he knew, no others had been trapped inside this cursed place but those attending the party. But unlike all the others Vasile had seen so far, this guy wasn’t up and about trying to avoid monsters, nor risking his life fighting one.
No, he was indeed being carried by one.
The Romanian’s first instinct had been to give chase. Not necessarily because it was the heroic and generally ‘right’ thing to do upon seeing your colleague in trouble, but because he was curious as to what was up with the monster’s peculiar behavior. Weren’t those things supposed to try and kill the nations trapped within? From his previous encounters with the things, he had reason to assume as much. So why carry around an unconscious victim when finishing off the man – at least, Romania guessed it was a man, he couldn’t quite see – would have been both easier and more sensible? Was the poor guy needed for something more? Did the monster consider death too easy an escape?
Entirely possible, the latter option was; although Vasile hadn’t yet gotten the chance to duel with any of the creatures, he could hazard a guess that there had to be at least one – if not more – intelligent ones among them. This whole manor, filled with blood thirsty creatures out of which some operated on only instinct, wouldn’t be what it was now otherwise. If there hadn’t something to control the chaos, the monsters would have surely ended up devouring each other. And it was that mastermind, that intellectual, who knew that mental pain had the capacity to be far worse than anything physical could ever be.
The other nation wasn’t still alive out of the creatures’ pity or goodwill; he was alive because it’d be more painful for him to be. Because someone, somewhere in this manor, wanted it this way. The thought was rather horrifying.
And so with no traces of hesitation, Vasile had followed after the creature that had carried the other away. His reasons were many, from wanting to see if he could save the poor nation to finding out where he was being carried. There was a small spark of hope somewhere in the back of his mind that, if he just kept following the monster, it might lead him to its master, to the mastermind behind everything. Vasile wanted to meet it. Wanted to see what it – or she, or he – was capable of. Challenge it. Win. It was stupid pride at its finest, but he could not help himself.
So the Romanian spent his next tens of minutes stalking the hallways following after the monster’s hunched form, descending stairways after stairways until the light from the chandeliers lightened his path no more. They ended up below the ground, far from the light coming from above. Any sensible person would have turned on their heels and ran at that point. Surrounded by darkness when you knew there was a monster in your presence wasn’t exactly the most sensible thing to do. But then, Vasile had a history of being less than sensible most of the time, anyway. Besides, he couldn’t just leave someone in trouble like that, now could he? Although watching people freak out was fun, watching them die wasn’t. He’d rather see everyone escape alive if at all possible.
That, and his curiosity was beckoning him, whispering into his ears thoughts he could not shake away.
That wasn’t to say, though, that Vasile wouldn’t have been afraid or careful with his steps. No, the entire time he followed after the monster, he had made sure he kept his distance. He had kept breathing to a minimum and only advanced in small, silent steps, not wanting to alert the creature it was being followed. And once darkness set in and stole the monster from the Romanian’s eyes, he had focused on his sixth sense instead. He had stopped trying to see or hear and just fixed on feeling. There was an aura surrounding the beast, dangerous and full of malice, and it was not at all tough to spot even in pitch black darkness.
Vasile knew where the monster was at all times and could plan his advance accordingly. Granted, he didn’t know which way the creature was facing nor whether or not it could see in the darkness better than him, but so far, it hadn’t paid the slightest attention to him anyway. Either it was blind, stupid, or cunning enough to trick the Romanian to follow it into a trap.
In any case, Vasile had no intention of backing down.
The basement was surprisingly void of any other supernatural creatures, save for the one Vasile followed. At least, for now. Sure, there was the occasional ghost he could sense lurking somewhere near, but compared to the roof or the graveyard, this place was completely barren. And to be honest, it did make Vasile a tad nervous. He might’ve not trembled and shaken, and his breath might’ve not so much as grown faster no matter how deep down he wandered, but he was still cautious and a little on edge. There was a reason a basement often acted as the base of operations for any shady business going on in horror movies and the like; the place was perfectly secluded and dark, and any sounds from within would likely go unheard by most of the residents above. So, should he get in trouble down here, he’d be on his own with little to no chance of getting rescued.
And yet, he couldn’t turn back. Not even when the basement door was slammed shut behind him with a bang, not even when he lost the creature he had been following. Vasile stopped, however, stilling his breathing the instant he could no longer feel that ominous aura he had been tailing. Did the monster disappear? Did it notice him? He had done his best to walk as silently as he could, even holding his cape to keep it from dragging across the floor. So had it sensed him, then? He did possess magical power.
Drawing in a silent, shallow breath, Vasile decided staying still was no answer to anything. He had to keep moving, if only to find out what had happened to his fellow nation. So, pushing himself onward, Vasile pressed his hand against the cold wall to his right, tracing it with his fingertips as he walked. He did his best to listen and to sense, searching for something, anything to tell him he wasn’t alone. And, just as his fingers happened upon something wooden, his sixth sense perked up.
There was something behind the door he was now standing in front of. Something supernatural. There was a slight, eerie glow emanating from below the door, and upon sighting it, the Romanian reflexively took a step away. Something was behind there. The monster? Had it already killed its victim? Was he too late? No, he couldn’t think like that. Actually, he shouldn’t think, period. This was it. Time to fight.
The Romanian took a few steps further from the door still and steadied his breathing, focusing all of his attention into the words he soon mumbled. He closed his eyes, allowing his sixth sense to take over for a minute as he started to conjure one of his two animal companions. And, in the matter of seconds there was already a see-through canine next to him, stretching its limbs and testing its jaws. Vasile nodded it a greeting and it returned in kind, not barking like it usually did. It, too, understood the importance of silence when it came to carrying out a surprise attack.
The two shared one more look as Vasile wrapped his fingers around the door’s handle and, with a deep breath, pushed open the door and mentally ordered the wolf to strike.
He would save the other nation, no matter what it took.
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Post by Deleted on May 18, 2013 18:28:54 GMT -6
The blonde stood motionless, as did the huge forest troll. Both had their eyes upon the doors, ears focused on the sounds coming from the other side. The Norwegian held himself steady, his eyes narrowed, but the throbbing from the back of his head was distracting and hurt. Still, the man held his resolved and steadied his breathing while the silence stretched. The tenseness in the air could have been cut with a knife, marked by an explosion of adrenaline, but Norway and his companion would not be the one’s to set it off, to make the first move and give out their location further. Alv moved silently to be slightly in front of Lukas and the nation made no complaint. They both knew he wasn’t completely physically capable at the moment, with his national strength and prowess exhausted and weakened and his focus unsteady from being unconscious. Besides, Alv had the advantage of being a powerful supernatural troll whose strength surpassed Norway even on a good day so, Lukas felt no ill that his friend stood, or rather floated, to protect him.
Footsteps, movement on the other side of the door, breaking the silence and marking that confrontation would soon be upon them. Muscle memory and reflex drew Norwegian steel without a sound, the blade darkened by the darkness of the room and unable to catch the green glow casted by the troll. Lukas narrowed his eyes even further when, after a few moments, something nudged his mind and he knew that Alv felt it too, as if a vibration ad radiated through the air and their extrasensory had caught the edge of it. A flick of curiosity stimulated Norway’s pupils but with a blink, his focus straightened and with tenseness in his shoulders, Lukas closed his eyes.
Within his mind he saw his younger self, hacking away at helmeted skulls and limbs without a care in the world, blood spattered his face and armor and he lead armies or men and the other Nordics with a grisly smile painted upon his face and a wild brightness in his blue eyes. Such recklessness came with youth, with freedom, with bloodlust, and while he had grown considerably, such ferocity settled and bridled by the centauries and circumstances but then, standing in the damp darkness with his sword and troll ally, Lukas reopened his eyes and within them blazed a tinge of youthful wildness.
The click of something touching the handle announced the beginning of the battle as loudly as any trumpeting herald. The swoosh of air of the door swinging on its creaking hinges gave Alv enough tie to raise his giant fist high into the air and a blur of movement brought the boulder sized hand crashing down. The high squeal of whatever creature the troll has crushed filled the silence with a deafening volume, Lukas however did not move. His eyes flickered up from the disappearing form of spiritual wisps, the remainder of the troll’s victim, to whatever stood beyond the open doorway. The troll flexed his fist, looking after the trails of spiritual energy that crept back to the lone figure standing before them in the dark.
An exhale of breath came from Lukas.
“Romania…. “ He said simply in greeting, no one of surprise or remorse audible in his voice, notifying any apologetic feelings for crushing the Romanian’s spirit companion or that he may be relieve to see him.
Truth was, Lukas was glad to see a fellow nation and would give him credit for being on guard as he had been but the difference he saw between them is that Lukas would never had put Alv in danger to save his own skin, the troll had a mind of his own and choice to be with the Scandinavian. Lukas’ eyes ran over the other male, noting that he appeared to be in order but made no move to be nearer to the Romanian, neither had he sheathed his sword. He didn’t fully trust what he saw for it could very well be another of this house’s tricks, so Norway would keep distance. Alv too didn’t move but stared at his great fist and glancing at the brunette man, possibly considering if he would be crushed as easily as his canine companion had if he wasn’t who he appeared to be.
“Funny meeting you down here, Vasile”.
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Vasile Ionescu
Survivor
Played by Roma.
Offline.
"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players"
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Post by Romania on Mar 24, 2014 20:36:26 GMT -6
The battle Vasile had so carefully prepared himself for just moments prior was over way too quickly - and most definitely, way too easily; the second the door'd flung open, something had moved forward from inside the room and went for the kill without giving either the Romanian or his large wolf a chance to react. All Vasile had managed to see before it had all been over had been a giant, glowing... something coming down like a hammer on the creature he'd summoned, the force of the blow shaking the ground just slightly in its wake. Or at least, that's what the Romanian'd felt; it could have been just his sensitivity to magic reacting to the creature and to having his summon destroyed so suddenly - he had shared a mental connection with the wolf, after all, and so having that bond severed so suddenly was bound to leave him at least a bit shaken. Or, it could have very well been survival instinct kicking in from the shock of being rid of his protection with so little effort and time. It could have been simple paranoia. Regardless, the fact was that the canine had vanished with a pained howl the second the hit had connected, and that meant the European was now alone in facing whatever lurked in the darkness.
And he didn't have any real weapons to fight with.
Taking a step back more out of reflex than conscious effort, Vasile brought his hand up to prepare for another summon, the words needed already spinning around in his mind, pushing at the inner parts of his lips to be let out. Adrenaline was rushing through the Romanian's veins as his eyes tried to adjust themselves, and his muscles tensed as if to prepare to move the second they were required to. Years of experience of war and fighting knew to push his senses to their limit - and part of the Romanian found himself almost reveling in that raw feeling of fear and excitement.
Well, that was, until his panic cleared and vision sharpened enough to allow him to see what exactly it was he was facing up against. The creature looked... familiar? He'd seen it before, although the exact time and place escaped him now. And behind the troll, standing there, calm and collected as always, wasn't that-
“Romania…. “
At the mention of his name - and in a familiar voice, no less - Vasile's shoulders relaxed just a tad, and his rushed breaths calmed into silent gasps. The light was dim, but there was no mistaking it; the blonde man in front of him was undoubtedly Norway, and he was wearing the same clothes as the mysterious victim he'd come here to rescue. So then, he was... alright? Vasile cocked a brow, confusion winning over whatever relief he was supposed to feel over the other's well-being. Really, he was standing unharmed, just like that? But he'd been unconscious just a bit earlier, and the monster that carried him hadn't seemed like it'd carry around the guy for fun.
Whatever tranquility had come over Vasile before was quick to start to crack and vanish. Silently, the Romanian's eyes moved just enough to give him a wider view of the entire room, and just like he'd feared, the monster was nowhere to be seen. Why? Where was it? He saw no purpose in the creature just carrying a random nation into the basement and then vanishing as if never there - and he hardly believed his arrival had been enough to scare it away, either. The situation made no sense. The monster had to be somewhere in here, and it had to have a plan. And, unless the monster was capable of turning invisible, there was only one place where the monster could be.
Right in front of him.
Vasile glanced at the Norwegian and his expressionless face for a brief moment, breathing hastening once more and eyes narrowing just slightly as he took back a careful step.
“Funny meeting you down here, Vasile”.
"Funny, indeed..." The Romanian answered almost a bit too fast, his voice painted with the slightest hint of suspicion and sarcasm, despite him wearing his usual expression. Slowly, he pushed himself to walk, his steps circling Norway and his troll - or what appeared to be Norway and his troll, anyway - as he attempted to both keep his distance and move into such position that he could see both the door and other nation clearly. He wasn't sure if the door had closed behind him when he'd come or not, but for now it didn't matter, as it wasn't like he could have checked; he couldn't let his gaze stray from the troll. It looked ready to strike, and that did nothing to ease the Romanian's ever growing suspicions.
A monster and its helpless victim had entered the room. Now there was nobody here except one man and his magical companion, both seeming safe and sound. Had Norway really stirred and defeated the monster that easily? Or was... this all just an elaborate trap to lure him in? No matter how you looked at it, the latter option sounded more likely. A shape-shifting monster sounded like a possibility, as did hypnosis or mind control, at this point. In a place like this, you could never be too sure. Being sure meant being naive, and being naive... meant death.
"Sooo, what brings you down here?" Vasile asked with a tilt of his head, trying to sound as casual as he could - and succeeding, of course. Lying was nothing to him, pretending was his second nature, and not getting caught the story of his life. "Monster hunting, just sightseeing...?" He glanced at the troll, his lips forming silent words of conjuring every second he didn't spend talking. He would need to summon one of his wolves again, and fast.
"Either way, I think you chose a bad place, huh. There's nothing to see here," Vasile's eyes narrowed, and his next question carried with it tone of distrust, of challenge: "And seemingly no... monsters to fight, either."
Except maybe one.
And Vasile intended not to fall its prey.
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Arthur Kirkland
Administrator
23.
Played by Hat.
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Post by England on Mar 26, 2014 0:56:52 GMT -6
Nearby, England had occupied himself with trying to get directions from one of the ghosts of the Manor. Having gotten turned around during his latest foraging venture, the Englishman had managed to stumble into one of the supernatural transitions of the house around him. None of these halls were familiar to him. He had an advantage in his ability to commune with the dead. They didn't have to obey the physics of solid walls. As long as he remained polite, and avoided the lost souls that were too far wasted by the influences of the energy around them, Arthur used them to navigate when he needed.
Unfortunately, the dead here had an incredibly limited frame of memory. He had to take their guidance with a grain of salt. Arthur relied on his own deductions along with their suggestions to steer himself back to safety. The Englishman never let his guard down, and kept his shields up at their fullest. If any negative aura came near to his vicinity he was quick to flee. His magical gifts were handy in this situation. He just didn't want to start relying on them as a crutch or else they could get out of his control -- which would not end well. Plus, the risk of letting his magic out meant that there was an increased chance of something getting in.
Arthur was just taking his leave from a spirit when he felt the presence of foreign magic tickling on the fringes of his shields. Someone nearby was using powers similar to his own. He could feel it building. Whoever the magic user was, they were currently pulling energy in. For what purpose? To fight? Arthur's arcane fingers reached out to tentatively lick beyond his shields to catch a taste of the aura's flavour. Not evil, nor negative. Different, like him. He felt that he should recognize the identity of this power. Had sensed it before, perhaps.
It was enough to get him curious. Arthur knew that sating his interest could potentially result in danger. He just couldn't help himself. Chances were that the aura belonged to a fellow nation, or at least not someone corrupted by the Manor. If he could be closer to them then he could lend them his aid, or even some of his own power, to whatever conflict they were preparing their resources for. Arthur would also benefit from the exposure to those energies, and could use them to help patch the thinning structure of his shields. A win-win situation, right?
Coming to the door of the basement made him hesitate. It would be dark down there. He couldn't find any comfort in the darkness. There were always things scratching in the shadows just beside him; wraiths that had haunted him since childhood. Arthur was vulnerable to them in perfect darkness. His hand pulled the door to the basement open as the Englishman peered down into that blackness. He could hear voices speaking somewhere down below.
A minute later, the Englishman came stepping into sight of the other two men. A small glowing ball of light that he'd conjured to navigate the darkness beyond them was cupped protectively between Arthur's palms. As soon as he spotted them, that tiny circle of illumination sputtered like a circuit going dead. He lowered his hands to hang at his sides as green eyes blinked wide surprise at the two nations in the basement with him.
"Oh, it's... you two?" His question was tentative. There was tension in the span between Lukas and Vasile so thick he could have cut it. Arthur feared that he might have just created a triangle of potential threat. He lifted his hands up again to show his empty palms in a universal sign of harmlessness. Not that they weren't capable of causing damage even without a weapon in them. "I didn't mean to interrupt your little dance here, chaps. Sorry for cutting in."
He cued a grimacing smile that he hoped wasn't about to get him a shot of magic to the face.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 28, 2014 9:05:31 GMT -6
"Funny, indeed..."
The stale and musty air of the basement had suddenly turned electricity, vibrating with tension that was as taunt as a bowstring, almost as if something as innocent as a pebble falling to the stony floor would have been enough spark to ignite the air. Lukas eyed Vasile with suspicion mistrust, and the throb of his head was not helping his rationality whatsoever. Alv, sensing his friend’s unease, grunted and flexed its fist, surely able to sense that this Romania was the true Romania, but in what situation was a fellow nation always your friend? Just because they were all trapped n this cursed house, didn’t mean that every nation was suddenly buddy-buddy friends, on the contrary to be honest. IN ere, it was survival of the fittest, at least in Lukas’ eyes, and the only people who deserved his trust were his fellow Nordics, and that was it.
Besides, the Romanian had struck first, having summoned his foreign magic, and it was only his luck that Norway’s rune, Norse magic didn’t exactly work outside of Scandinavia. IN this place, his powers had been rendered to nothing more than the Sight, which was enough in this place, for he had been lucky enough to had not to have argued with his forest troll companion about attending with him to this ‘party’ in the first place. Norway had no idea why or how he had ended up down here in the basement, it was only a miracle that Alv had found him first before anything else had, but for Romania to be mysteriously down here as well, did not make sense: what moronic idiot willingly descended into the basement of a haunted mansion anyway? That was going against any rational thinking and in most horror cases, a sure death wish, which made Vasile’s aggression against him all the more apprehensive.
"Sooo, what brings you down here? Monster hunting, just sightseeing...?"
The Norwegian’s eyes narrowed and he strengthened his stance, his hair shifting slightly from the swirl of power from Alv, who aside him brandished both of his massive hands into fists and looked down upon the little Romanian with as much dislike as his national friend. "Either way, I think you chose a bad place, huh. There's nothing to see here, and seemingly no... monsters to fight, either."
How cute…. Arrogance. People were arrogant made mistakes, thought themselves ahead of their enemy, or tried to use it as a distraction, either way Norway was not going to be goaded by this red-eyed bastard. Even if this was a the true Romania, in Lukas’ eyes, he was still the monster here and if this cocky asshole wanted a fight, well Norway was millennia prepared to go down swinging. People forgot that it was Norway, not Denmark, who used to rule the early-medieval world, making Europe his bitch and killing, pillaging, looting and raping as he pleased. Then of course politics got involved and Lukas had to take a step back behind Denmark, but even so, he was not a blond to be underestimated, though that wasn’t not to say that he was about to the do same to this smiling idiot.
“Who ever said anything about wanting only to fight monsters,” Lukas finally said, his tone indifferent, but icy; the man’s normally bored eyed narrowed and aflame with his Viking blood, excited and aroused by the singing of his blade and the thrill of a battle. Oh yeah, he still got it.
"Oh, it's... you two?"
With all his focus on his opponent, when the sound of the basement door opening and figure came down the stairs with a source of true light, two things happened in union: the Norwegian’s gaze momentarily broke and mentally cursing, Lukas recovered when his nimble and lean form back flipped single-handedly, his other hand expertly keeping its grip on his sword while Alv’s fist flew forward in a wide, sweeping attack, not meant to hit to directly hit Romania, more to unmoved him but also to warn the newcomer to watch his distance; the force of the attack broke a few steps on the stairwell.
Lukas lightly landed in a crouch before resuming his stance, his forest troll taking his own stance and was all fists and powerful grin; the picture they painted was of a impressive and formidable team. Glancing up at the stairs and frowned even more when he saw the image of a hands-up Englishman. "I didn't mean to interrupt your little dance here, chaps. Sorry for cutting in." Scoffing, Lukas returned his gaze to Vasile but he did greet Arthur with a curt, “England,” for he did consider the other a friend, but he would not let the other interfere with his confrontation with Romania. Still, Lukas was aware Arthur was the better at reading auras and whatnot and the man seemed to have gotten a read on them both, which would indicate that their auras were true and Vasile was no doppelgänger.
What id, however, the manor had the power to replicate their persona in every way, including their personal auras? Call Norway paranoid, though he preferred cautioned he relaxed slightly but kept his sword at the ready, but did indeed take a breath when Alv gave Arthur a wave: above anything, Lukas trusted the troll’s sense more than Arthur’s and if he was comfortable with the other men, he could be too. Comfortably yes, until the basement door slammed shut atop the stairs, behind English, rendering them all again in darkness save for the greenish glow of Alv, which they would all be able to see.
“Well, now that we’re all here…” Lukas said with a hint of sarcasm, he case his gaze into the darkness, furrowing his brow dangerously, “How do you both feel about being lured into a trap?” he asked rhetorically as a sound came from far off in the darkness, a noise which regrettably sounded like something was moving, stirring, agitated by their presences. Lukas, having determined that his greatest threat came form the abyss and not from the other nations, turned his back to England and Romania, facing their unseen enemy and back up to form a tighter knit group, Alv looming beside him, the vastly deep grumblings of the troll only acclaimed the Norwegian’s concern.
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Vasile Ionescu
Survivor
Played by Roma.
Offline.
"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players"
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Post by Romania on Apr 14, 2014 23:24:56 GMT -6
Lukas didn't answer him right away, for one reason or another. Vasile guessed it was either because the Norwegian was searching for the right words to use, or because he wanted to assess the situation thoroughly before contributing anything more. Either way, Vasile welcomed that break with open arms. The air was so thick with tension and magic that it almost seemed like one could wrap their fingers around it and pocket it for later. The Romanian was taking full use of it, his quiet words summoning a creature into the shadows that framed the dusty room. Another wolf, bigger, stronger, and decidedly with more lust for a fight than the previous. This was no longer a search and rescue mission - no, this was shaping out to be a battlefield, and it was very likely that one of them would not leave the room's confines tonight.
Was that what had happened to the real Lukas as well?
The thought crossed the Romanian's mind for only a second, but that was enough to make him subconsciously glance around his peripheral vision, just in case. Of course, just like before, it was in vain. His senses told him as much already but then, they also claimed this man in front of him was the real deal, the real nation of Norway.
“Who ever said anything about wanting only to fight monsters."
This man that didn't seem to have any qualms fighting a fellow nation in a place, at a time when all those alive should work together more than ever. No way. The Romanian refused to believe it, refused to accept the other would be vile and foolish enough to waste time picking a fight with an ally. No, either this was a trick of some sort - or the man had cracked. Vasile knew the other's past, and he wasn't unfamiliar with the Vikings, either. He knew what the other could do, but he thought that all to be in the past.
Thought and, certainly, hoped - but the man's eyes spoke contrary to that wish.
Vasile's wolf formed, paws softly touching the dusty floor as it lurked out of sight and the man himself took a step back. There was no other way, no matter who or what this blonde in front of him was, but to fight and see for himself.
He opened his mouth, but the words that met his ears next were not his own.
"Oh, it's... you two?"
Vasile pulled himself away from his previous standing place, the cape he wore catching wind as his gaze snapped to the door and his feet carried him to stand at a better angle for better view. No matter what had come in through the door, he did not want to lose sight of the Norwegian; he couldn't afford to.
Of course, no sooner had Vasile's eyes refocused on the man at the door, than he realized who it was. He couldn't claim that his shoulders really relaxed - after all, he was still standing in a confined place with a monster that could crush him with one large fist if it was commanded to and he lacked the reflexes to dodge, but he did let out an amused chuckle at the startled reaction both he and Lukas had showed.
The Britt apologized for his interruption, and Vasile grinned.
"Not at all," he commented light-heartedly, even if his mind was still focused and feet tensed. "Tango for two is boring, anyway."
Relief. Seeing another nation walk in at the moment of battle was certainly something that sparked relief in him. If Lukas were a monster, Arthur if anyone could sense it, surely. And if so, taking the fake-Nordic down shouldn't be too difficult a task. He had had his mock fight with England before in the Manor - he knew that despite the circumstances, the old fart had a lot of fight left in him. He wasn't alone anymore; and no monster would be able to stand up against the two of them and live to tell the tale. Well, he hoped not, anyway.
Vasile was just about to speak another joke as he turned his gaze fully to the Norwegian, when his senses were suddenly forced at their peak again; the slam of a door and the darkness that followed did their part to both startle the Romanian and make him forget whatever he was about to say. His eyes narrowing to adjust to the dark and form tensing back up again, Vasile let his eyes bounce up and down in search for something to blame for the sudden turn. Was the Englishman a fake as well, or was this all still the original monster's plan?
The answer came all too fast, in the form of another, sarcastic question.
“Well, now that we’re all here…” Vasile turned to Lukas, his initial suspicions not all soothed by the other's tone. He didn't like it. “How do you both feel about being lured into a trap?”
Vasile's reaction was instantaneous, but not visible. He felt a cold sensation churn his stomach and turned in a flash, his gaze happening upon the Norwegian's - only to realize it wasn't directed at him, nor at Arthur. It was cast somewhere in the darkness, where his wolf had lurked just moments prior - wolf that was now returning back to him without a command, positioning itself between him and the newly discovered threat.
The Romanian sensed it before he heard it; something stirring, moving about the darkness beyond the reach of their eyes. The Romanian's initial thought had been to suspect this Lukas character of luring them into a trap, particularly when the words had come from him, but now... perhaps he had been mistaken after all. Perhaps the real monster had not yet showed itself. But then, why the Norwegian's peculiar behaviour? Or was it just because he wasn't that familiar with the Scandinavian? Perhaps such acts and words were normal of him, and it was merely the situation that made them suspicious. He didn't know. He wasn't sure what to think anymore.
Of course, he did not let that show.
"Well," he mumbled, crossing his arms as if he had no care in the world - when in truth, he was already gathering magic to create a yet another summon. "At the very least, our dance just got that much more interesting."
His eyes were getting more and more accustomed to the darkness, and with clarity came confidence, particularly so since there were now three of them facing one foe - much better odds than mere minutes before.
"So then~!" Vasile exclaimed, palms together and the look in his eyes serious enough to completely contrast his tone. "I think our friend here wants the first dance." He nodded towards the shadows and then glanced at the other two in brief. "Any takers?"
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Arthur Kirkland
Administrator
23.
Played by Hat.
Offline.
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Post by England on Apr 22, 2014 0:59:24 GMT -6
Whatever he had walked in on between the two nations, Arthur didn't want his presence to escalate their tension to the point of a fight. Especially not when his person was so close to the cross-fire. He dropped his hands when neither of them responded to him as any kind of threat. It miffed him just a little. Goodness, he was formidable enough not to be so quickly dismissed, and here they both were just nodding at him like he was the maid coming to clear away their dinner plates. Huff!
Arthur's retort to Vasile's comment about dancing was downright sullen. "I've never cared for the tango, personally. I prefer a classy waltz, or some lively folk dancing." His comment was relevant to nothing in the situation. The pair were so occupied with staring each other down that Arthur doubted they even cared to acknowledge his opinion.
His sour mood flipped immediately to surprise when the door directly behind him slammed shut. He hated the darkness. It left him scrambling before he could manage to summon up that ball of light again. The dim illumination cast the Englishman's shadow on the door when he turned to inspect it. There was no visible knob that he could see. Apparently they were stuck in here. At least until the door opened again from the outside.
His body turned around to view Lukas when the Norwegian pointed out the obvious; that they were trapped. As bad as that alone could be, Arthur's senses were distracted beyond the two men. He felt the encroaching aura of another entity. It wasn't friendly. The Englishman didn't need the aid of otherworldly creatures to figure that out all on his own. Alarm bells were screaming in his head. Arthur also knew that despite his fear of the darkness, the presence of his light made him a visible target for whatever was coming at them.
Fitting his palms together he choked out the presence of that magic. It fluttered, then vanished completely. The darkness around them was complete again. Arthur could only keep his bearings by fitting his back firmly against the door. He wasn't entirely blind in this black space. Vasile and Lukas were spectrums of colour now. Growing apprehension had shifted their auras to a muddied red, as their tension expanded. Present still was the threads of silver that danced around them wildly -- a colour Arthur associated only with those sharing his abilities with magic.
"Don't get too cocky." Arthur warned Vasile when the Romanian spoke up, his words a bold challenge to their oncoming opponent. "I can't see it. That is usually not a good sign of things to come. Can either of you tell what it is?"
Had the lights still been on Arthur's straining to see it would have been apparent. His face wore the expression it did when people accused him of spacing out, or daydreaming. What people failed to understand was that Arthur was always present in the moment. He was just hazy-eyed because he was looking with a means that went deep beyond his physical body. At the moment that inner eye was squinting as sharply as it could to try to find the hostile presence in the dark. "Whatever it is I don't think we have the element of surprise in our favour. I'll conserve my energies until they're needed so one of you can engage it first. Be on your guards, gents." [/font]
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Post by Deleted on May 11, 2014 12:44:32 GMT -6
"Well, at the very least, our dance just got that much more interesting. So then! "I think our friend here wants the first dance. Any takers?"
"Don't get too cocky. I can't see it. That is usually not a good sign of things to come. Can either of you tell what it is?"
Lukas allowed England to see to the moron because frankly, the Norwegian did not have the patience to deal with such idiocy, he had Denmark for that. No, Lukas just remained where he was, in his stance, sword a the ready and remained silent though even he knew that there was no point in trying to hide their position, with Romania’s constant caterwauling they might as well have been dancing around in neon costumes. Remaining silent though could tell them something or another about their opponent, since it would seem that Arthur’s magical radar was not working as they would have hoped.
"Whatever it is I don't think we have the element of surprise in our favour. I'll conserve my energies until they're needed so one of you can engage it first. Be on your guards, gents."
Yeah, like he said, be on their guards and all… To be perfectly honest, Norway was rather disadvantaged in comparison to say Arthur. Perhaps it was because they were in such an evil place, perhaps it was because Norway’s moral and strength had depleted, or perhaps it was simply because America cut off his powers like it killed the dreams of Americans but no loner Lukas was able to sense entities, he could still see them, but sensing their presences was a no go. Also, due to modern times and the more or less death of paganism and the belief in the old gods, Lukas was only able to tap into ancient Norse magic back home on significantly spiritual days or in certain places avoided by humans due to superstitions. What could Lukas say, he was old, older than most thought, and dare he say that things didn’t work as well as they did when he was younger. His magic that is, Lukas was still a god a sex, don’t you worry about that.
This was why Lukas was so thankful and glad that it was Alv aside him, England and Romania were bonuses in one sense, though more nuisances in another. Either way, the forest troll was by far more reliable; a relationship forged over two millennia ago, which resulted in a bond of trust stronger than imaginable. In a fight, the troll was always Norway’s first choice and it was the deep, throated growls rumbling from the creature that was better then any English mind radar. Whatever they had been brought together to face was not as far as perhaps they would have liked or minded and judging from the powerful flexing of Alv’s massive fists, their enemy was drawing nearer… staying outside of the dull green light naturally casted by the forest troll, Lukas’s personal supply of night vision.
In reply to Arthur’s inquiry, having interpreted the troll’s grumblings, words not needed after years of being together, Lukas said quietly, “Less than fifty feet, directly in front of me, down that corridor… It’s there and coming closer”.
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Vasile Ionescu
Survivor
Played by Roma.
Offline.
"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players"
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Post by Romania on Jul 3, 2014 9:34:58 GMT -6
A slight grin of amusement visited Vasile's lips as Arthur warned him of cockiness. The warning was appreciated - but not really warranted. His words and expressions were rarely reflective of his actual thoughts, and this time was no exception; even while his mouth spewed boasts, his eyes remained sharp and his stance low to enable him quick movement in every direction when needed. True, his magical senses and aura reading was not at all on the Englishman's level and he was quite aware of that, but his eyes were tuned to darkness and he knew how to fight in it. Although this time, the creature they were facing appeared to have masked itself with more than just the lack of light, since finding it with the naked eye had proven to be difficult so far.
But that was exactly why he was speaking so loud, so much. If they could not find their enemy, they should let the enemy find them. He didn't mind setting himself up as the bait; after all, he had his wolf there to sacrifice itself if need be, and two other magic users to defend his back if his own powers proved insufficient - or at least, he hoped so. He still didn't trust the Norwegian, and if his people and atmosphere reading were worth anything, the feelings were mutual. He didn't really feel like Lukas was an ally, not after the behaviour he'd exhibited some moments prior. Maybe the guy just wasn't cut out for teamwork.
It was then that something stirred, and the Romanian's red eyes narrowed to catch a hold of the silhouette of.... something moving about where their eyes didn't reach. Lukas' words informed them of the monster's whereabouts, and that allowed Vasile to finally lay his eyes on the thing, this time hopefully for good. His eyes had grown more used to darkness by now, his night vision fueled by adrenaline and need. It was there. He saw it. The problem was, it most definitely saw them as well.
So, it was probably high time to draw it out. Provoking it into attacking and so, knowing who it might target was far better than waiting it to pick its prey at random and catching them all off guard. It would give them the very much appreciated element of control. Well, hopefully, at least. His unorthodox methods were known to be a bit of a hit-or-miss at times, but what was life without little risk? He trusted their combined powers. He had to, because they were no team otherwise. And multiple people fighting one enemy separately was the greatest mess one could imagine - he'd experienced that, too. Ah, the things he'd learnt while under Ottoman rule.
It almost made him want to gag.
"Well, well, isn't our new friend shy," Vasile spoke into the silence that had once again befallen them. "Alright then, guess that means I need to extend it an invitation to join the tango - or waltz, if you'd so prefer." He directed the last words towards Arthur with a hearty chuckle, all the while hoping the two understood what he planned to do, and were ready to strike when they saw the opportunity - he would likely be too busy dodging the attack and directing his wolf to becoming a shield to offer much help in the offensive front. Or not. He didn't know. That's why his heart was pounding so much.
"So then, big boy," he taunted, eyes on the monster as he took a careful step forwards towards the threat, toes pressed against the ground and ready to push him away if need be. "May I have this dance?"
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Arthur Kirkland
Administrator
23.
Played by Hat.
Offline.
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Post by England on Jul 14, 2014 4:34:39 GMT -6
If Vasile had decided to become the bait for their would-be attacker, Arthur wasn't going to try to question him. He did cast a glance of open concern to the Romanian. Yes, though he wasn't actively raising colonies anymore, the Englishman had still mastered the aura of a fretting parent, and while he didn't doubt Vasile's capabilities, he felt responsible for the youngest nation amongst them. That earlier statement for caution on his part didn't seem to have much effect on Vasile. Recklessness was an attribute he was used to from associating with an American of similar spirit.
Unlike the other two magic users here he didn't have a familiar or a creature to aid him. There was no time to create a proper arcane circle; any attacks of his would have to come quick and dirty. While he would have preferred using magic of an elemental nature (fire was usually effective against foes) in this instance, Arthur lacked a proper mindset for channeling his energies into any of them. He'd walked right into this ambush like a common fool. Why hadn't he just remained clear of this place? Damnable curiosity.
He tried to decide their best strategy for this confrontation: Vasile and his wolf could provide distraction for their would-be assailant. The Romanian had a flair for bringing attention to himself. Then Lukas and his impressively sized troll could provide a solid offense. Not that Arthur had never seen this particular troll in a fight -- yet he had heard enough tales from first hand encounters amongst his supernatural friends that trolls were not creatures to be trifled with. Which left him in a supportive role, to provide defense. As much as Arthur disliked taking a backseat in any fight, he wasn't obsessed with being a hero in any respect.
Without another word to the two men, the Englishman lowered to a knee on the floor. He didn't have chalk or powder to create a reliable spell. The floor had an adequate amount of dust for him to work with instead. Arthur had to squint in the poor quality of light cast by the Norwegian's troll, bent over his task as he began to drag a gloved pointed finger through the layer of dust coating the floor beneath their feet. Lukas would likely recognize the runic symbols developing under Arthur's precise, experienced motions. In the absence of a flashy magic spectacle he was keeping it simple.
ᛊ ᚻ ᛂ ᛚ ᛑ ᛈ ᚱ ᚮ ᛏ ᛂ ᛍ ᛏ
Arthur raised his eyes from his work when the creature finally stepped into view. Whatever this thing was, it belonged down here in the darkness. He drew himself up with a numb flash of shock to set eyes upon yet another monstrosity produced by the Manor. The Englishman's voice was breathless from that stunned registration of an all new impossibility in this place of horrors. He kept his eyes on that creature while that hoarse whisper directed itself to Vasile. "I'll hold shields against its attacks as long as I can. You blokes try to make it quick."
That was obviously easier said than done. Putting his faith in other magic users, even relying on other people, was difficult for Arthur. He often trusted only his own capabilities to get himself out of sticky situations. Lending his energies to defend the other two rather than see to his own defenses put the Englishman in a precarious position. Arthur would be forced to hope that they kept the thing far away from him or else this would be for naught. And he'd likely be dead. It was a rare act of trust that Arthur hoped he wasn't about to sorely regret.
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